Federal Register: October 30, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 210)
DOCID: FR Doc 02-27572
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Mine Safety and Health Administration
NOTICE: NOTICES
ACTION: Safety standard petitions:
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
Petitions for Modification
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:
The following parties have filed petitions to modify the
application of existing safety standards under section 101(c) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.
1. Speed Mining, Inc.
[Docket No. M2002082C]
Speed Mining, Inc., P.O. Box 1083, Beckley, West Virginia 25802 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1700 (oil and gas wells) to its American Eagle Mine (I.D. No. 4605437) located in Kanawha County, West Virginia. The petitioner requests that its previous petition for modification, docket number M2001041C, be amended as follows: The petitioner will drill out each of the oil wells as already specified in the previous petition. The petitioner will pump the expandable cement to the bottom of the lowest minable seam (Eagle) and pump Portable Class ``A'' cement on top of the expandable plug to the next Powellton Seam which is approximately 117 feet above. The petitioner states that the Powellton Seam is the anticipated area for broken strata due to subsidence. The petitioner will leave the area from Powellton Seam to the surface open for release of methane from the longwall gob after the longwall has intersected the well. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard. 2. H&M Coal Company
[Docket No. M2002084C]
H&M Coal Company, 48 Meadowview Road, Pine Grove, Pennsylvania
17663 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1400
(Hoisting equipment; general) to its Rocky Top Mine (I.D. No. 3609072)
located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to
use a slope conveyance (gunboat) for transporting persons without
installing safety catches or other no less effective devices. The
petitioner would instead use increased rope strength and secondary
safety rope connections in place of such devices. The petitioner
asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.
3. KenAmerican Resources, Inc.
[Docket No. M2002085C]
KenAmerican Resources, Inc., 881 Corporate Dr., Suite 204,
Lexington, Kentucky 40503 has filed a petition to modify the
application of 30 CFR 75.380(g) (Escapeways; bituminous and lignite
mines) to its Brier Creek Mine (I.D. No. 1518495) located in
Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. The petitioner requests a modification of the
[[Page 66169]]
existing standard so that the primary escapeway for the
4. D&F Deep Mine Coal Company
[Docket No. M2002086C]
D&F Mine Coal Company, RD 1 Box 33A, Klingerstown, Pennsylvania
17941 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1002 1 (Location of other electric equipment: requirements for
permissibility) to its Buck Drift Mine (I.D. No. 3607456) located in
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner requests a modification
of the existing standard to permit the use of nonpermissible electric
equipment including drags, battery locomotives, communication systems
and other electric equipment outby the last crosscut within 150 feet of
the pillar line. The petitioner states that operation of this equipment
would be suspended anytime methane concentration at the equipment
reaches 0.5 percent either during operation or when found during
preshift examination. The petitioner asserts that the proposed
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.
5. Peabody Coal Company
[Docket No. M2002087C]
Peabody Coal Company, 202 Laidley Tower, P.O. Box 1233, Charleston,
West Virginia 253241233 has filed a petition to modify the application
of 30 CFR 75.1002 (Location of trolley wires, trolley feeder wires,
highvoltage cables and transformers) to its Highland Mine (I.D. No.
1502709) located in Union County, Kentucky. The petitioner requests
that its previous petition for modification, docket number M2001040
C, be amended to revise paragraph 14(b), to allow routine use of cable
crossovers, and to revise paragraph 43(b), to allow a temporary
transformer that is not mounted to the mining machine. The petitioner
states that the Highland Mine will be operating with Joy 14CM27 miners
that are designed to operate in lower coal. Where clearance between the
machine and the roof is smaller, the cable may be better protected with
the properly designed crossover specified in the previous petition. The
petitioner further states that the 14CM27 miner does not have
provisions for tramming with a 995volt input, and the step up
transformer specified in revised paragraph 43(b), which would allow
tramming of the 14CM27 machine with better control, may be less subject
to damage if it is not mounted on the mining machine. The petitioner
asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.
6. Coastal Coal Company, LLC
[Docket No. M2002088C]
Coastal Coal Company, LLC, P.O. Box 1578, Coeburn, Virginia 24230
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 77.214(a)
(Refuse piles; general) to its VICC
7. Europa Coal Company, Inc.
[Docket No. M2002089C]
Europa Coal Company, Inc., 430 Harper Park Drive, Beckley, West Virginia 25801 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1002 (Location of trolley wires, trolley feeder wires, highvoltage cables and transformers) to its Dry Branch Coalburg Mine (I.D. No. 46 08968) located in Boone County, West Virginia. The petitioner proposes to use a Joy 12CM27 continuous miner which operates at 2,400 volts. The petitioner has listed in this petition specific procedures that would be followed when the proposed alternate method is implemented. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard. 8. Hunt Midwest Mining, Inc.
[Docket No. M2002004C]
Hunt Midwest Mining, Inc., 8300 NE Underground Drive, Kansas City, Missouri 64161 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 57.11052 (Refuge areas) to its Stamper Quarry (I.D. No. 2302232) located in Platte County, Missouri. The petitioner proposes to provide bottled water to the refuge chamber instead of a water line. The petitioner asserts that an unopened 5 gallon bottle has a shelf life of two years and the date of bottling is stamped on the neck of the bottle. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.
Request for Comments
Persons interested in these petitions are encouraged to submit comments via email to comments@msha.gov, or on a computer disk along with an original hard copy to the Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances, Mine Safety and Health Administration, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Room 2352, Arlington, Virginia 22209. All comments must be postmarked or received in that office on or before November 29, 2002. Copies of these petitions are available for inspection at that address.
Dated at Arlington, Virginia this 24th day of October 2002. Marvin W. Nichols, Jr.,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances.
[FR Doc. 0227572 Filed 102902; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 451043P
SUMMARY:
Speed Mining, Inc., et al.,
DOCUMENT BODY 2:
The following parties have filed petitions to modify the
application of existing safety standards under section 101(c) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.
1. Speed Mining, Inc.
[Docket No. M2002082C]
Speed Mining, Inc., P.O. Box 1083, Beckley, West Virginia 25802 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1700 (oil and gas wells) to its American Eagle Mine (I.D. No. 4605437) located in Kanawha County, West Virginia. The petitioner requests that its previous petition for modification, docket number M2001041C, be amended as follows: The petitioner will drill out each of the oil wells as already specified in the previous petition. The petitioner will pump the expandable cement to the bottom of the lowest minable seam (Eagle) and pump Portable Class ``A'' cement on top of the expandable plug to the next Powellton Seam which is approximately 117 feet above. The petitioner states that the Powellton Seam is the anticipated area for broken strata due to subsidence. The petitioner will leave the area from Powellton Seam to the surface open for release of methane from the longwall gob after the longwall has intersected the well. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard. 2. H&M Coal Company
[Docket No. M2002084C]
H&M Coal Company, 48 Meadowview Road, Pine Grove, Pennsylvania
17663 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1400
(Hoisting equipment; general) to its Rocky Top Mine (I.D. No. 3609072)
located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to
use a slope conveyance (gunboat) for transporting persons without
installing safety catches or other no less effective devices. The
petitioner would instead use increased rope strength and secondary
safety rope connections in place of such devices. The petitioner
asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.
3. KenAmerican Resources, Inc.
[Docket No. M2002085C]
KenAmerican Resources, Inc., 881 Corporate Dr., Suite 204,
Lexington, Kentucky 40503 has filed a petition to modify the
application of 30 CFR 75.380(g) (Escapeways; bituminous and lignite
mines) to its Brier Creek Mine (I.D. No. 1518495) located in
Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. The petitioner requests a modification of the
[[Page 66169]]
existing standard so that the primary escapeway for the
4. D&F Deep Mine Coal Company
[Docket No. M2002086C]
D&F Mine Coal Company, RD 1 Box 33A, Klingerstown, Pennsylvania
17941 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1002 1 (Location of other electric equipment: requirements for
permissibility) to its Buck Drift Mine (I.D. No. 3607456) located in
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner requests a modification
of the existing standard to permit the use of nonpermissible electric
equipment including drags, battery locomotives, communication systems
and other electric equipment outby the last crosscut within 150 feet of
the pillar line. The petitioner states that operation of this equipment
would be suspended anytime methane concentration at the equipment
reaches 0.5 percent either during operation or when found during
preshift examination. The petitioner asserts that the proposed
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.
5. Peabody Coal Company
[Docket No. M2002087C]
Peabody Coal Company, 202 Laidley Tower, P.O. Box 1233, Charleston,
West Virginia 253241233 has filed a petition to modify the application
of 30 CFR 75.1002 (Location of trolley wires, trolley feeder wires,
highvoltage cables and transformers) to its Highland Mine (I.D. No.
1502709) located in Union County, Kentucky. The petitioner requests
that its previous petition for modification, docket number M2001040
C, be amended to revise paragraph 14(b), to allow routine use of cable
crossovers, and to revise paragraph 43(b), to allow a temporary
transformer that is not mounted to the mining machine. The petitioner
states that the Highland Mine will be operating with Joy 14CM27 miners
that are designed to operate in lower coal. Where clearance between the
machine and the roof is smaller, the cable may be better protected with
the properly designed crossover specified in the previous petition. The
petitioner further states that the 14CM27 miner does not have
provisions for tramming with a 995volt input, and the step up
transformer specified in revised paragraph 43(b), which would allow
tramming of the 14CM27 machine with better control, may be less subject
to damage if it is not mounted on the mining machine. The petitioner
asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.
6. Coastal Coal Company, LLC
[Docket No. M2002088C]
Coastal Coal Company, LLC, P.O. Box 1578, Coeburn, Virginia 24230
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 77.214(a)
(Refuse piles; general) to its VICC
7. Europa Coal Company, Inc.
[Docket No. M2002089C]
Europa Coal Company, Inc., 430 Harper Park Drive, Beckley, West Virginia 25801 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1002 (Location of trolley wires, trolley feeder wires, highvoltage cables and transformers) to its Dry Branch Coalburg Mine (I.D. No. 46 08968) located in Boone County, West Virginia. The petitioner proposes to use a Joy 12CM27 continuous miner which operates at 2,400 volts. The petitioner has listed in this petition specific procedures that would be followed when the proposed alternate method is implemented. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard. 8. Hunt Midwest Mining, Inc.
[Docket No. M2002004C]
Hunt Midwest Mining, Inc., 8300 NE Underground Drive, Kansas City, Missouri 64161 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 57.11052 (Refuge areas) to its Stamper Quarry (I.D. No. 2302232) located in Platte County, Missouri. The petitioner proposes to provide bottled water to the refuge chamber instead of a water line. The petitioner asserts that an unopened 5 gallon bottle has a shelf life of two years and the date of bottling is stamped on the neck of the bottle. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.
Request for Comments
Persons interested in these petitions are encouraged to submit comments via email to comments@msha.gov, or on a computer disk along with an original hard copy to the Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances, Mine Safety and Health Administration, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Room 2352, Arlington, Virginia 22209. All comments must be postmarked or received in that office on or before November 29, 2002. Copies of these petitions are available for inspection at that address.
Dated at Arlington, Virginia this 24th day of October 2002. Marvin W. Nichols, Jr.,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances.
[FR Doc. 0227572 Filed 102902; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 451043P